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Aluminum Heads...natural or paint?

Horseplay

Horseplay

I Don't Care. Do you?
Donator
Those of you with aluminum heads which would you recommend and why? Leave natural or paint as the rest of the engine?

I know the metal will oxidize and otherwise start to blemish if left as is. What I don't know is how quickly and to what extent. Can one maintain the look long term? Seems impractical and difficult if not impossible installed.

I'll be using a high temp epoxy engine primer and paint. Eastwood 2K aerosol. Big fan of it on other items simply for the ease vs breaking out the guns and in this case they have product made specifically for engines so seems a no brainer.
 
I guess you could always clear coat the heads if you wanted to keep the clean aluminum look. I agree, I don't know how you would ever keep them looking good in the raw state, but then again you see so little of the head when the engine is buried in the car.
 
For looks , just paint them silver.
A clearcoat , I don't know how it holds thrue the years.
 
You'd be surprised how much of the head is visible especially if it stands out due to color, etc. On a normal painted engine it all just kind of blends together and disappears.

Not many options on a clear coat. Next to none that can handle the heat. They all discolor with age too. Eastwood makes something they call ExoArmor but reviews are less than positive. Kind of surprising no one has a proven product for this application. At least one I have found anyway.
 
I painted my heads and intake with "aluminum" color engine paint and clear coated the valve covers.
IMG_7528.jpg
 
The AFR heads on my Mustang still looked good after being on for 8 years. Not bright and show car shiny, but I don't recall seeing any white spots or any significant discoloration. On my chebby, the 3 year old edelbrock aluminum intake is starting to show some of those white spots... and even some rust marks too. What I've heard is a good treatment is plain old WD40. Spray it on before winter and let it be. Clear coats look good on valve covers and wheels, but changes the appearance. I don't think it would look good on heads. I've used clear on transmission cases, bellhousings and valve covers because, but everything else looks better raw in my opinion.
 
From what I have been able to gather it has a lot to do with the variety of aluminum used and then environment in which they exist. While mine are a thing of beauty now I have seen far too many show signs of age for my liking. Going to paint 'em. :eek:
 
Horseplay said:
From what I have been able to gather it has a lot to do with the variety of aluminum used and then environment in which they exist. While mine are a thing of beauty now I have seen far too many show signs of age for my liking. Going to paint 'em. :eek:
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You can always go a different route on your third engine!
 
Up late last night painting. {.} will be happy to learn I have a brand new, very red engine and also trans to install this weekend. I had planned on painting the new trans but not necessarily red to match the engine but once the engine was done I really liked the finish of the Eastwood paint on it. Should be very easy to keep clean. It is very glossy and "slick". Options on hand were the same red or black. Being that the underside is covered in a dark black already (Raptor) the contrast of the red made more sense to me. Plus it keeps with the color scheme of the whole car.
IMG_1916.JPG
 
That is a lot of Chevy orange. :D

Looks good and I agree it will be much easier to keep things clean. I wish we had painted the trans, but no doubt it will come out soon enough for new clutch. I do like the look of unpainted aluminum heads, but the stealth look should be nice in the engine compartment. I can't wait to start on my next build so I can try to top yours...although that may not be possible.
 
kb3 said:
That is a lot of Chevy orange. :D

Looks good and I agree it will be much easier to keep things clean. I wish we had painted the trans, but no doubt it will come out soon enough for new clutch. I do like the look of unpainted aluminum heads, but the stealth look should be nice in the engine compartment. I can't wait to start on my next build so I can try to top yours...although that may not be possible.
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Such kind words. I'm just trying to get it as nice as your boy's, honestly.

The as delivered look of aluminum heads (the good ones) is really sharp, no doubt. But in a way, kind of 'blingy". Nothing wrong with it. I'm just trying for a look that makes someone stop and say "wow" but not for any one particular reason. I want them to stand there and have to figure things out. What is different and why and how that contributes to the overall "wow" they had. For example, the front pulley system I chose. It's polished aluminum so it looks good but not over the top like some of the Marsh systems, to pick on something. Less is more...but with lots of cool stuff and design!

To each his own. Just my approach and goal.
 
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